Tony Posawatz is replacing Tom LaSorda after only six months as Fisker CEO

After only six months of service and a laundry list of troubles, Fisker Automotive's CEO has been booted from his position.

Tom LaSorda, who was named CEO of Fisker back in February 2012 when founder Henrik Fisker stepped down, is leaving the company, but will still be an adviser. He is being replaced by Tony Posawatz, who was the former head of Chevrolet Volt production for General Motors.

Posawatz has 30 years of experience at General Motors, and was a large part of bringing the Volt from concept to production.

"We are delighted to be adding an executive of Tony's caliber to the Fisker Automotive leadership team," said Fisker. "His depth of knowledge and experience in this innovative field of new technology means that he is one of the world's most experienced leaders in vehicle electrification technology and the plug-in ecosystem. In the long-term, he will ensure that Fisker is well positioned to maximize the potential of not only the Karma sedan, but also bring the Fisker Atlantic smoothly to market."

Last week's incident happened in a Woodside, California grocery store parking lot while the customer was inside shopping. When he came outside, his Karma was on fire and had to be put out by the Woodside Fire Department. There was considerable damage to the vehicle.

There are many speculations as to how the fire started, such as issues with the lithium ion battery (which the company had to recall in December 2011) and the "crowded" engine compartment/exhaust routing method.

Fisker recently confirmed that none of these rumors are true. The automaker has started investigating the cause of the Woodside fire, and while there is no set conclusion yet, it has ruled out those possible sources.

"The area of origin for the fire was determined to be outside the engine compartment," said Fisker in a statement. "There was no damage to the passenger compartment and there were no injuries.

"Continued investigative efforts will be primarily focused within the specific area of origin, located forward on the driver's side front tire. Further details will be announced after a full report is completed."

In addition to Karma-related issues, Fisker has had troubles with its Atlantic hybrid, which may have to be built outside of the United States because of its lack of access to government funds. In April 2010, California-based Fisker Automotive received a total of $529 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for clean vehicles, but in May 2011, DOE froze its loans after delivery of the Karma plug-in was delayed and ended up falling behind schedule. DOE said Fisker did not meet the milestones previously promised, and since then, Fisker has not been able to access the DOE loans.

The loans were also meant to revamp a closed General Motors plant in Wilmington, Delaware for Fisker auto production. So far, Fisker has drawn down $193 million from its loans, but there's a chance that the company may never see the rest of it. In February 2012, Fisker was forced to lay off 26 factory workers at the Delaware plant.

In addition to the CEO shake-up, Fisker appointed Joe Chao to executive vice president and CEO of Fisker China and Asia. Also, Alberto Gonzalez was named vice president of Manufacturing.

Unless I missed something, you don't get a tax credit when you buy a Corvette.

Now if you're saying there isn't a market for the Corvette, I'd say you're blatantly wrong. It packs the performance of many high end exotics into a package a lot of people can afford. It hasn't been around for over 50 years because it doesn't sell.

"Unless I missed something, you don't get a tax credit when you buy a Corvette."

Yup, you definitely missed something. Everyone who fills up the their car with gasoline/diesel is getting a tax credit in the form of oil subsidies. IMHO, electric car subsidies should be ended, and so should oil subsidies - which includes not only tax breaks for oil companies, but nearly our entire involvement in the Middle East (why do you think the 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain?).

The right-wing pegs all oil subsidies at about $5.00/gallon, and the left-wing pegs them at about $10.00/gallon. Please look at your receipt the next time they pump gas. Take the number of gallons and multiply it by $5, and send a check for that amount to:

quote: I'm sorry, you're right. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain to protect the free flow if figs and dates through the straits of Hormuz. My bad.

I sincerely hope you don't own a car or drive anywhere. If you've ever spent one red cent on a petroleum product in order to move yourself or your worldly good somewhere then you need to shut the hell up until you are totally petroleum independent. That includes all plastics too. Get back to me when you've done that.

I own a Chevy Volt and have driven over four months without stopping at a gas station. If every car was replaced with a Volt-type vehicle, this country would be completely energy-indepenent, because the U.S. electric grid is over 99%-fueled by U.S.-sourced fuels.

As for plastic, that is mostly recycled, not burned, so you can't include that in the same category as petroleum. The real question you have to answer is why exactly do you choose continue to give so much money each year to OPEC when you have alternatives?

We need to stop the insanity and get rid ALL subsidies AND taxes like the 'gas guzzler' tax. We have taxes and subsidies on the same product! If we had to pay what it actually cost to import and secure foreign oil we'd be paying at least $8/gallon at the pump. No 'gas guzzler' tax would be needed, and no 'alternative energy' subsidies would be needed. America really needs to free up these markets from endless market-distorting subsidies and taxes.

quote: We need to stop the insanity and get rid ALL subsidies AND taxes like the 'gas guzzler' tax.

Nice rhetoric, but you still bought a Volt. So what does that make you?

If people feel something is wrong, they should take a stand. Not just wait for someone ELSE to fix the problem for them. Hello?

When it came down to it, you still chose to support the system you claim to be against. For nothing other than your own selfish concerns and want of an automobile. How can America change when people do that?

Since you also seem to be saying that you oppose all subsidies for energy, please show me the money that you have returned to the U.S. Treasury for the subsidized gasoline that you have purchased over the last year. You haven't done that? Well, that makes it difficult to have a discussion with you because you stand for nothing. For others who do have values, here is what they need to consider:

In the decade after 9/11/01, as an average American driver (~14,000/miles/year) I have benefited from $25,000 in U.S.-subsidies for my gasoline consumption (@ $5/gallon), or about $2500/year. In my first year of Volt ownership, my gasoline usage dropped by over 90% (42 gallons vs. 500 gallons), and my subsidized energy over the next ten years will be:

Now, if you have any ability with math you see that I will only partake of $10,000 in subsidies, while you will selfishly take more than double that amount from the American taxpayer. Like I say, it's difficult to have a discussion with someone like you who has no values, but what you call my "selfish concerns and want of an automobile" are not selfish - it is what I NEED for my job and for my family.

And I stand by my original position: ALL energy subsidies should be ended. But until then, I will partake in those subsidies at less than half the rate that I would have without my Volt.

Final thought: "...electrification is the best path to the fuel diversity that is indispensable to addressing the economic and national security risks created by oil dependence."

quote: Since you also seem to be saying that you oppose all subsidies for energy, please show me the money that you have returned to the U.S. Treasury for the subsidized gasoline that you have purchased over the last year. You haven't done that?

Are you joking? I've no-doubt given the Government thousands in the form of fuel taxes. My fuel is NOT subsidized you asshole, I already proved it's not. So stop repeating a lie. They make money OFF ME, not the other way around.

quote: In the decade after 9/11/01, as an average American driver (~14,000/miles/year) I have benefited from $25,000 in U.S.-subsidies for my gasoline consumption (@ $5/gallon)

That's a lie, so no, you haven't. And I would like to see you prove it.

The Government profits greatly from fuel taxes, so do state Governments. Key word, PROFIT. As in NOT taking from the taxpayer. How dare you even make such a fraudulent claim and accusation.

I'll ignore your ad-hominem response and respond to what you think is substance. First, one of your links is to an article from May, 2006 - OVER SIX YEARS AGO. Gasoline consumption peaked in 2007 and has been in decline since, and so have the federal taxes received from them. You other link is only for "STATE" and "LOCAL" taxes. The oil subsidies that I'm talking about are on the federal level, in the form of accelerated depreciation, royalty relief, etc, and the over $100 billion annual military expenditures to secure areas of the world where we get our oil.

Here's a good link to a study on direct subsidies to all energy (including 'alternative energy'):

But even this study doesn't come close to explaining all the expenses associated with oil, namely the military expense that we as a nation pay in money and lives.

From moderate Republican and former Presidential Candiate Jon Huntsman:

"...when you factor in the deployment costs, when you factor in keeping the sea lanes open for the importation of oil. By the way, the Europeans derive a benefit from that as well. When you factor in the terminaling and handling and storage costs, it’s not $3 or $4 or $5 a gallon. It’s $13 a gallon.

If Americans were to stop and just do the math and figure out what it costs this country on a fully loaded basis, they’d be running for cover. They’d say that $300 billion transfer of wealth from the United States to countries that are dangerous and unpredictable - those days are over. I mean, those days have got to be over."

Not only do you suck at Obama's teet at twice the level of Volt-owners, you are an OPEC supporter! If you:

1. Have a car in your household2. Park that car within 50 feet of an electrical outlet.3. Have not bought a plug-in vehicle (Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, Prius Plug-in).

You are an OPEC Supporter.

Take an average person driving 15,000 miles a year, and replace a car in their household with a plug-in vehicle. The average mpg for a U.S. car is ~23 mpg. In 15,000 miles, you would use over 650 gallons of gas, 25% of which is sourced from OPEC nations. At a conservative $3.50/gallon, that means $568 of your money was used to pay for OPEC-sourced gas. Cut out some money for refining and taxes, and you still have given over $400 in the last year to OPEC regimes.

Now replace that car with a Chevy Volt. With an average electric-only range of 38 miles, it will take you 13,780 miles if you plug in just once a day. That leaves 1,220 miles on gas at 37 mpg for 33 gallons of gas. Do the math, and the Chevy Volt driver has seen his OPEC donation drop from over $400/year to about $20/year.

That is almost exactly what happened to me. I used only 42 gallons of gas, with no lifestyle changes, in my first year of Volt ownership. My previous car averaged 24 mpg (rated 22/32), so I saw my OPEC support drop from around $400/year to less than $30.

Just to bring you up to date, Reclaimer77, the U.S. is now importing MORE oil from Saudi Arabia and the middle east:

The United States is increasing its dependence on oil from Saudi Arabia, raising its imports from the kingdom by more than 20 percent this year, even as fears of military conflict in the tinderbox Persian Gulf region grow.

“At a time when there is a rising chance of either a nuclear Iran or an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, we should be trying to reduce our reliance on oil going through the Strait of Hormuz and not increasing it,” said Michael Makovsky, a former Defense Department official who worked on Middle East issues in the George W. Bush administration.

I'm surprised at the number of people like "Reclaimer77" and "freedom4556" who CHOOSE to use imported oil for their transportation when they could instead use U.S.-made electricity. They CHOOSE to support the Saudis and Hugo Chavez instead of buying American electricity for their cars. Why???

I find it important to note that if you pick up the highest-spec supercharged 2012 Corvette you'll pay a $3,750 tax due to it's 16mpg efficiency because of the Gas Guzzler Tax. So far from a subsidy, you pay a tax.

We need to stop the insanity and get rid ALL subsidies AND taxes like the 'gas guzzler' tax. We have taxes and subsidies on the same product! If we had to pay what it actually cost to import and secure foreign oil we'd be paying at least $8/gallon at the pump. No 'gas guzzler' tax would be needed, and no 'alternative energy' subsidies would be needed. America really needs to free up these markets from endless market-distorting subsidies and taxes.